The next to last day of the 2024 All American Quarter Horse Congress for the pleasure horses saw a mix of new champions and familiar faces as the show continued at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio.
A Trail To Champions
Showin My Ace helped Lauren Stopperich earn her first NSBA trophy on Friday when the duo won the NSBA portion and were reserve champions in Level 1 Amateur Select Trail. “We call him Ace,” Lauren said. “My daughter shows him also. He’s 12 years old. He’s very good in the Trail. I showed him in Horsemanship and Showmanship here too.
“Ace was a youth world champion with a customer in Chad Evans’ barn. He’s very talented, and when the opportunity to purchase him came up when his former owner went to college, we did it. I get along with him very, very well.”
Lauren enjoyed her pattern. “The pattern rode easier than I thought it was going to be,” she said. “He stayed soft and consistent and went through it very well. I was very pleased with it.”
Lauren and Jillian will compete at the AQHA World Championship Show as well.
Emma Brown had an emotional win with her horse Ur Ride Has Arrived. “We bought him at the Congress last year,” Emma said. “I showed him last year here, but really I consider this our first real Congress together. Thomas is seven years old and he was in the barn at Judd and Jennifer Paul’s. Emma Gore showed him before me.
Emma didn’t have to look far to find her new show partner. “We just love every time he goes in the pen he’s beautiful,” she said. “His ears are up and he has this striking look. Even if he goes in and it’s not a great pattern, he’s just so pretty. We loved that he was already in the barn and Jennifer knew him.”
She took an aggressive approach to her pattern in the class. “I went in and the first obstacle was a walk and spin, so I decided to go for it,” she said. “I just went in and spun really fast. He was just phenomenal and right there with me the whole way. Judd and Jennifer do an incredible job prepping him for me and I couldn’t be more grateful.
“I work in corporate finance in an office every day, and I set a goal for the year to get in a lot of saddle time and get to know Thomas. I had so much success with Some Like It Hot or Brett, because I knew him so well, and I needed to do the same with Thomas. Judd and Jennifer stayed late in the evenings so I could come and ride, and I think that definitely paid off.”
Daniel Carlson and Nothing Myst celebrated a special anniversary by earning the first place title in Level 2 Amateur Select Trail.
“We bought her from Kelby and Kaitlyn Hutchinson. We’ve been together two years to the day today. I’ve always enjoyed the Machine Made line and she’s been a lot of fun to work with. She’s learned so much in the past year.
“We call her Harley. Last year I showed Western Pleasure with her and we started doing Horsemanship, Showmanship and Western Riding. Gene Spagnola did the Trail with her all last year and I didn’t start showing her in it until this year. Gene gets all the credit for getting her going in the Trail. We just started getting our name called in Western Riding, and I do love that class too. We just tried to get the class shown all summer and here at the Congress.”
Harley is very much a family horse, Daniel explained. “She’s very personable, and so kind,” he said. “My six year old can run around between her legs and she’s just gentle.”
It was down to the last minute for Daniel and Harley to get to their go in the class. “In the pattern today, I almost missed my go, so I was rushing up zipping my chaps and tying my tie as I went down the alley,” he laughed. “The last time I won here I was the same way, so I guess that’s my thing. If I think about it too much about it, I get nervous I guess.”
Daniel has previously won Trail at the Congress in the past with Are You Charlie and Code Red Charlie.
'Pumpkin' and Brian Cox Win $2,500 Limited Horse Western Pleasure
Brian Cox teamed up with his neighbor, Cindy Stec, to show Peace Of Pumpkin Pie to the win in the $2,500 Limited Horse Open Western Pleasure.
“Brian lives right down the road from me, so it’s been easy,” Cindy said. “She is a pumpkin because she is so little - ever since we got her I’ve called myself Cinderella because Cinderella came to the ball in a pumpkin coach. I can’t wait for her to be my coach. I love that she’s little and I can wrap my legs around her.”
The five year old mare known as Pumpkin is by Its A Southern Thing out of a VS Code Red mare. “We’ve only had her four months,” Brian said. “She’s fun to show in the pen because she’s honest. She hasn’t been shown very much. In fact this is just the third time we’ve shown her. She was really good.”
Brian acknowledged the deep talent in the $2,500 Open Western Pleasure class. “That was a really nice class with a lot of nice horses in it,” he said. When asked what the judges saw in his horse, Brian noted “Her top line and her consistency are probably what they saw in her.”
Next year look for Pumpkin and Cindy to show in Non-Pro events with Brian showing in the Senior Western Pleasure classes.
Jay Starnes and Just Stoppin By Win Super Sires Class
Just Stoppin By has had a whirlwind year that culminated in a new owner and a Congress championship in the Super Sires Two Year Old Western Pleasure. Jay Starnes showed the filly for new owner Brooklyn Rufrano.
“We sold her after she showed in her class last week so she has a new owner,” Jay said. “The Australian customers we have, the All4OnePartnership, picked her out as a yearling. She’s been easy to train and wants to do her job. She has a lot of self carriage. This was actually the first time Jay ever showed her. Kristy showed her at the NSBA World Show, then Holly Skopp showed her at NSBA and here, and now I got my turn, so it’s been a real group effort.”
Just Stoppin By will move to the guidance of Sonessa and Garth Gooding for 2025. “We’re excited to have her for next year as a three year old Open and Non-Pro horse,” Sonessa said. “She has so much flow to her lope. We bought her for a Non-Pro and she seems very Non-Pro friendly. She’s pretty special.”
Drew DeBuhr earned the Super Sales Graduate bonus of $4,152 aboard The Breeze for his wife, Brooke.
Familiar Faces Dot The Champions List
Several repeat and past winners were among the champions crowned on Friday. They included Im Willy Good Today and Keith Miller, showing for Madeleine Bayless, winning the Maturity Open Hunter Under Saddle and If I Were A Boy and Morgan Miller, winning the Two Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle Stakes. Jana Simons was also named the champion in Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation.
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 27. To view the show schedule, watch the live video feed or view complete show results, please visit quarterhorsecongress.com or the Horse Show Tracker app.
